


Gentron Week Day 5: Protecting the Other’s Honor

by sunshinehime



Series: Gentron Week Event 2020 [5]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, Bullying, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Inferiority Complex, Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) Has Anxiety, Post Season 8, Post-Canon, Verbal Abuse, extremely brief and non-graphic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:48:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,207
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25772344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshinehime/pseuds/sunshinehime
Summary: Stranded during a blizzard, Lance faces painful memories. An unexpected person comes to his defense.
Relationships: Iverson & Keith (Voltron), Iverson & Lance (Voltron), Keith & Lance (Voltron)
Series: Gentron Week Event 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1863511
Comments: 8
Kudos: 81





	Gentron Week Day 5: Protecting the Other’s Honor

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fallingsnow6136](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallingsnow6136/gifts).



> I think I accidentally alternated between fluff and angst for this challenge so far. On a serious note this was a truly excellent prompt given to me by fallingsnow6136. I hope I did it justice.

“Did you ever say sorry to him?”

That simple question, delivered with a repressed fury only describable as a star beginning its first stages of decay, breached the tense atmosphere in the survival tent.

Three men are the occupants: Keith, Lance, and one Commander Iverson. The tent itself comfortably fits them all and is well insulated; the raging blizzard doesn’t come close to piercing it with its icy winds and snow. Despite that, Lance feels the air chill at least ten degrees by the power of Keith’s glare alone.

Iverson, to his credit, doesn’t visibly buckle under it but he’s forced to look away from its intensity for a moment. Silence stretches on between them and it’s threatening to drive Lance insane from the built up tension. Then Iverson glances back at Keith and answers with a quiet “No, I did not.”

There’s something in Keith’s body language, a coiling and tensing that signifies an attack, and knowing Keith it’s definitely physical. He’s always been a man of action. But Lance interrupts before he can pounce and puts a hand on his shoulder, light but enough to keep him from moving. “Listen Keith, that was ages ago. It’s fine now, we--”

“If it was anyone else, would you still say that Lance?” Eyes still on Iverson, his tone is still razor sharp but softens around the edges.

He wants to say “no, of course not!” but stops himself because it’ll just prove Keith’s point. But he _is_ different. Iverson was an asshole but Lance was the one who made up a whole rivalry and was a total jerk to Keith for ages. The same guy who’s taking up for him now.

But even as he thinks this, there’s a small part of him that kicks and screams because it _did_ hurt and it gave him an awful inferiority complex that stuck with him for _years_ , that still creeps up sometimes when he goes to the Garrison, surrounded by stoic military officers and decorated heroes. Whenever he sees Shiro tall and proud, four stripes of the Admiral on his shoulders and a uniform filled with pins and patches. If Lance hadn’t been chosen to pilot a Lion and help save the universe from total destruction, he can’t imagine how much deeper it would have run.

Iverson’s blunt, no nonsense voice cuts through his thoughts and he straightens his back automatically. “I was just trying to toughen you up. You had potential and drive but you were cocky and always slacked off. And you were going to throw that potential away if I didn’t remind you of how precarious your ranking was!” Iverson glares at Lance as he speaks and a fist tightens around his stomach. 

His pulse picks up and he clenches his fists still resting in his lap. He hates how even now being so close around this man makes him so flighty and nervous. Like he’s a teenager again, getting screamed at by a man almost twice his size. Always told he was nothing compared to a hotshot yet talented pilot freshly kicked out. A pilot who was still grieving his brother’s death.

There’s a warm hand on Lance’s own hands and he realizes they’ve been slightly trembling. Keith never looks away from Iverson but he feels that warmth and it steadies him, anchoring him. The touch stays light and soft, even when he addresses the older man before him.

“So your great solution was to bully a teen and use me as some bizarre boogeyman? You didn’t even _like_ me! You wanted me out but then suddenly, _I’m_ the gold standard when it comes to Lance? Don’t you think you’re the one who made things worse for him?” Keith’s voice has been rising in volume and he starts to get up toward the end, muscles coiling and contracting again. Even Iverson notices as he tenses his own body this time.

Lance panics and grabs him by the shoulder again, genuinely worried that he’ll hit Iverson. “Keith, stop. It’s, well. Maybe not fine but I’ll be okay. I promise.” Keith finally turns to look at him and he’s horrified to see that Keith’s eyes are watery and so sad. Lance swallows, feeling guilt and shame at making him worry so much.

Iverson clears his throat and crosses his arms behind his back, getting both their attention again. And quick as lightning Keith’s scowl bears its teeth again. “While I can see that you’re dead set on making me out to be some kind of villain _Kogane_ ,” and Iverson clenches his jaw for just a moment, “I’ll admit that I was wrong. In spite of my intentions, I clearly hurt you McClain.”

Lance studies Iverson’s face and it’s carefully expressionless. But his voice sounds tight and reluctant. And he, well of course he does appreciate the apology. He’s not ungrateful! But it, he doesn’t feel any better. For years he’s been telling himself to stop obsessing over it. That they all fought together in the invasion, united as both the Paladins of Voltron and the crew of the Atlas. That Iverson already apologized to Shiro and Keith (but not to you, a tiny voice says in the back of his mind) and that he should have gotten over it by now.

But from when the mission was first assigned to Keith and Iverson by Shiro (and Keith had asked if Lance could come as a favor), to when they spent nearly three hours on the small fighter together searching for their target, to when they were stranded on the ice planet and had to abandon their malfunctioning ship and set up “camp.” He could never shake that feeling of dread, that dropping of his stomach whenever he so much as perceived Iverson in his peripheral vision. At any moment it felt like Iverson would give him that glare and then lay into him, revealing to everyone how incompetent and unworthy he was to be a Paladin. And that he’d make sure to remind Lance that he’ll never be equals with either him or Keith, even now. 

Lance knows this isn’t true, knows that he’s been just as vital as everyone else, but he can’t shake the thoughts from his mind either. All those insults, the stares and laughs from the other students, they keep echoing around his brain and he can’t push it aside, he can’t stop hearing it, he ca--

Hands. On his cheeks. They’re a little too warm and that brings Lance back. Keith’s face is close, eyes wide and scared? They’re still sitting down and Keith is kneeling right in front of him. He asks if Lance is okay and he manages to croak out a hoarse “yeah.”

Iverson is still behind Keith but he looks weird, and pale too, and Lance is freaked out. He’s never seen him like that, not even during the invasion. He swallows, then speaks again. “McClain. _Lance_. I’m sorry.” And there’s no hard edge, no stiffness. His voice is raspy and low.

Lance doesn’t trust himself to speak, too shocked at the sincere apology, so he jerks a nod before Keith sweeps him up in a tight hug. Lance returns it and buries his head in Keith’s shoulder.

**Author's Note:**

> I never even thought of this perspective between Iverson and Lance, and never tackled this kind of subject matter before. But it was a very interesting experience and I'm glad I wrote it. 
> 
> It was difficult balancing Iverson - I didn't want him to come across as the worst person ever but still had to convey that his actions were abusive and caused lasting damage.


End file.
